Grant’s Chaya and Broccoli Soup (hot or cold)

We have just finished two great bowls of this recipe which I got from my friend Grant, and it was awesome amigos! Fortunately, for us in Mexico ‘chaya’ is widely available. It is used in many of the same ways that we used to use spinach. Try it in lasagne or in a smoothie for breakfast or just steamed.

Grant’s Chaya and Broccoli Hot or Cold Soup

Ingredients –

1 large onion

2 large cloves of garlic

1 liter of low fat chicken broth

5 to 10 chaya leaves (or spinach)

1-2 carrots cut up

Broccoli florets (should remain covered by the liquid)

½ cup powdered milk with soy protein (I substituted with a little real milk, mixing it with potato starch instead of the cornstarch)

1 T cornstarch + some water

handful of cilantro stems and leaves

Sauté in canola oil, a large onion and two large cloves of garlic. I like some of the onions to have turned brown and the rest translucent. Add a quart of low fat chicken broth and if you have available, five to ten leaves chaya* leaves, bring to a boil and add a carrot or two, cut up. After five minutes of cooking add enough broccoli to come up to the top of the liquid. You can’t put too much broccoli in. Return to boil and let simmer for five to ten minutes. Throw in a half a cup powdered milk fortified with soy protein. (or the potato starch and milk) Mix a heaping table spoon of cornstarch a bit of liquid (unless you used the potato starch already) and throw that in. Throw in a bunch of cilantro and then plunge in a hand blender and liquefy the whole mess. If you prefer a chunkier variety, do not blend it until pureed. Serve hot or cold. We put a dolop of Larry’s homemade tzatziki on top….mmm. If you don’t mind the fat you could use a little grated cheddar…